Some big contractors and consultancies fear new air quality objectives could mean no new projects can be built in some areas of the city.

"The industry is very concerned about the impact of the new air quality objectives. We need to think about solutions to avoid possible conflicts," Gammon Construction chief executive Thomas Ho On-sing said.

Ho, also chairman of the Construction Association, called for more discussion about how to meet the new standards.

The concerns are included in a report commissioned by the association.

The association will submit recommendations to the Environment Bureau for it to consider in its review of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) system.

New air quality objectives came into force on January 1.

Under the EIA system in place since 1998, projects had to meet certain criteria or they would be refused a permit.

The study involved interviews with six companies and five professional bodies about their opinions of the EIA system.

Some said areas including Mong Kok, Central, Causeway Bay and Tung Chung might not be able to accommodate new projects under the stricter new standards.

While the report called for a review of the feasibility of having new projects in these areas, Raymond Ho Chung-tai, chairman of the Association of Engineering Professionals in Society, which did the research, said they were not asking for exemptions.

"We just want the government to come up with clear requirements of what should be done," he said. "If it believes it is worth introducing measures, we will go along with it."

The report concludes there is no need to revamp the framework and operation of the system. But it calls for a central database of ecological data and a better exchange of information with the mainland on projects that could mutually affect each other.

As to whether the Council on the Environment should be beefed up, the survey found there was no consensus in society.

While some local activists opposing development in the northeastern New Territories want to have the EIA report in Chinese, and extend the one-month public consultation, Raymond Ho said it was unnecessary as it would be costly and impractical to have a Chinese report.

A department spokesman said it had received a copy of the report.

But he would not comment on fears some areas would not be able to accommodate new projects because of their poor air quality. The spokesman would only say the government was committed to combating air pollution and reach targets set for 2020.

"Project proponents can help by incorporating measures to reduce air pollution, making their project viable," he said.

He also said any proposal to change the EIA mechanism should be studied carefully, taking into account past experience, public views and court judgments. On setting up a central ecology database, he said project-based, individual ecological assessment could not be replaced by a database.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Firms fear air targets will kill projects

Nothing could be better than stopping further development in these areas. Insane property prices have led to the absurdity of massive structures of relatively recent vintage being torn down to squeeze the last dollar out of the site potential, yielding no benefits to the community yet creating more overcrowding and congestion havoc. Hold the line on pollution and stop construction.

superdx Feb 3rd 20148:34pm

All these new buildings and their over-commercialised shopping centres are suffocating to be in. I'd much rather step outside but then all you get are exhaust fumes from buses and heavy goods vehicles. This is not a good city to live in.

darehk Feb 3rd 201411:20am

If air quality becomes a standard by which development projects are approved, the Urban Renewal Authority may have to shut down...much to the relief of most neighbourhoods destroyed or under threat by them already

Kubrick Feb 4th 20148:25am

A little less construction work would be a good thing in this city. Anyway, this man is only concerned about his profit margin and is indifferent to the health consequences of unfettered construction. A better, civilized response, would be to state that the construction industry recognizes the challenge and will do its bit to improve Hong Kong's environment.

sammckhk Feb 4th 20141:46am

I would have thought that since the last time Ho spoke about wages, he would have engaged brain before opening mouth, but then I remembered his last comments were based on greed just like these comments. What a s**t he is.

francisliang Feb 3rd 20146:25pm

Isn't that the point of the targets, these construction firms are clearly short sighted, do they really believe a polluted city will in the long term mean greater returns? Sad.... clearly a pathetically selfish view from a short sighted capitalist.

goncalo Feb 4th 201412:47pm

"Killing projects" seems good to me!

DinGao Feb 4th 20147:32am

Quite obviously these property developers and construction company bosses are physically incapable of fathering children so that, unlike normal Hong Kongers, they don't have to worry about what the pollution is doing to their young lungs. The EPD air quality Index currently tells us that the health risk is "Moderate" wheras the HKU School of Medicine warns us that the air quality is "Very Bad",